Every year, the law requires certain New York residential property owners to register their properties with the state’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). These are the owners of multi-unit properties with three or more residential units, as well as owners of private dwellings with one to two residential units where neither the owner nor their immediate family members live. Owners of hotels are also required to register. The deadline for registration is September 1.

On top of registering annually, the law requires these property owners to re-register whenever the ownership of the property changes hands or whenever there is a material change in the registration details. An example of a material change is the hiring of a new property manager.

HPD uses the registration information to send out official notifications and to contact the owner in case of emergencies. Owners who fail to register or register with false details are subject to fines.

The process of registering is fairly simple. HPD has an online property registration system where property owners can access the registration form (https://a806-pros.nyc.gov/PROS/mdRInternet.html). Once they get the form, they should complete it, print it, and mail it to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Church Street Station, PO BOX 3888, New York, NY 10008-3888.

As part of the registration, property owners have to pay a $13 fee. The Department of Finance adds this bill to the owner’s property tax collection Statement of Account.